Quality of Family Life

"Parents must decide what quality of family life they will have and then use the necessary discipline to accomplish this. Otherwise life will push the family in diverse directions, and they will be victims rather than disciples.

Gladys Hunt
Hondy for a Child's Heart

Autumn Leaf Craft

When the boys were young, we spent much time creating. One room was reserved for messy projects like painting, cutting, pasting. Sometimes other media were used like wax, cardboard, string, balloons, newspapers, glitter, and more. What fun we had! This was always an integral part of our home school.

Last week when we visited Dad and Alma, one of the boys early projects was sitting on the nightstand in the guest room. So simple, yet sweet, these leaf art pictures have graced the guest room for nearly 10 years now. 

If there are young children in your family, this is a great project to do with them! Here's how:

• Purchase small frames. They do not need to be expensive. Frames from a place like the Dollar Store or WalMart work perfectly. Remove the colored 'advertising' in the frame. In it's place, insert a piece of plain white paper.
• At the craft store, purchase a sheet of beeswax. With sharp scissors, cut it to the same size as the 'advertising' paper you removed from the frame. Place the beeswax on top of the plain white paper.
• Sprinkle extra fine "prisma" glitter sparsely on the beeswax.
• Place one dried leaf per sheet of beeswax. Center it carefully, so that it looks like it's falling from a tree.
• Put the frame together, with the glass layer going on top of the leaf and beeswax. Secure tightly and enjoy.

*This project also works well with dried flowers.

Helping Children Live Aesthetically

"Children growing up in an atmosphere where beauty is considered an important part of daily life cannot help being inspired to develop their own original ideas in these areas, nor can they help being prepared to live aesthetically themselves. There is a 'togetherness' in sharing a prepared table that even very small children feel, although they cannot express it verbally." 

Edith Schaeffer

These are words that guided me on my homemaking journey at the beginning of my child rearing years. Mrs. Schaeffer speaks so eloquently when she writes; she creates word pictures of simple things that speak so profoundly to our souls. In another place she shares that every dinner table should have a centerpiece that is vibrant, interesting, and transitions with the seasons and experiences of life. Such a focal point provides family members with objects of nature and beauty to enjoy. Flowers, moss, rocks, shells, seed pods, and more can be gathered outdoors and be brought inside to make creative points of interest without added expense or fuss. Including children and grandchildren in the process might mean adding points of color found in small toys like Lego's, plastic figures, or miniature tea sets. An atmosphere where creativity is encouraged can inspire a child and set the stage for original ideas as they grow through life.

The Power of Firsthand Education

No schoolroom can match the simplicity and power of the home in providing three-dimensional, firsthand education.  The school, not the home, is the substitute, and its highest function is to complement the family.  The family is still the social base, and must be, if our society is to survive.  Let's leave no stone unturned to guarantee the fullest freedom of the home and the rights of parents to determine the education of their children.

Home-Grown Kids 

page 26 - 27

A True Home

"A roof to keep out the rain. Four walls to keep out the wind. Floors to keep out the cold. Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father. Warmth of loving hearts, light from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school...for the young ones where they learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind. Where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick. Where joy is shared and sorrow eased. Where fathers and mothers are respected and loved. Where children are wanted. Where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned. Where money is not so important as loving-kindness. Where even the teakettle sings from happiness. That is home."

Ernestine Schumann-Heink

Simplify: What Matter's Most

Although it is usually easier said than done, simplifying our lives can be a real stress-buster.  And who doesn’t need to bust a little stress?  Perhaps I’ve watched too many episodes of The Waltons, but it appears that in past times, life was a lot simpler.  Not necessarily easier, but simpler.  I sometimes wonder how it could have been that way, considering more manual labor was required for daily duties due to a lack of our modern tools and conveniences.  You’d think the stress level would have been higher and that the work would never end.  Yet they’d often still have time for simple recreation at the end of the day.  I’ve heard my own parents and grandparents tell about this very thing, calling those days gone by “the good ole days.”

So, if people who have lived in both eras verify that we have left behind the simpler life and replaced it with a more hectic existence, then why do we continue in it?  Well, it would appear that we don’t have much choice.  After all, we don’t live in John Boy’s world.  We work for busy people, we worship with busy people, and we live with busy people. Still, there are ways that we can simplify our lives and maybe even resurrect some of the elements of the “good ole days” without living on an island.

•    Commit to family mealtime.  You already know it’s a good idea. So make at least one meal in your day be a family meal, no matter what.  You may not be popular at first because habits are hard to break.  But stick to it.  You can be as simple or creative as you like, but make a couple of steadfast rules.  First, no television.  Second, no phones.  Contrary to popular belief, the world will not cease to turn if you exercise the power button on these gadgets.  What will happen, though, is an increase of ability to focus on one topic at a time.  The dinner table is one place that multi-tasking is not necessary and should not even be welcome. So take advantage of this chance to simplify.

•    Don’t be afraid of silence.   Our daily lives are full of so much static that it is almost awkward to sit in silence, even with those we are closest to.  Recognize that silence is not a sign of distance.  Silence is simply a lack of noise.  And that’s a good thing!  Try doing your tasks around the house without having to have the TV or radio on “for noise.”  Where did we ever get the crazy idea that we need “noise” in the background in order to get our work done?  Or music in order to do homework?  By now, our brains are actually conditioned to this practice, and like other addictions, it does seem that we need it.  But that habit can be changed and silence can become golden once again.

•    Try non-electronic recreation.  Play some games that actually involve conversation and interaction.  My family claims to not enjoy table games, but I find that whenever I persuade them to play with me, they end up enjoying it.  You might even be so bold as to take a technology fast for a while when it comes to recreation.  Once again, the withdrawal symptoms may rear their ugly heads.  But that is validation that the need to simplify is evident.  The more withdrawal, the more the need to simplify.

•    Get organized.  Okay, this is definitely easier said than done, especially for some personality types.  Still, everyone can improve.  I find that making a list of what I need to get accomplished in a certain amount of time is very helpful to me.  One might expect that making a “to do” list might actually be causing more stress by having to try to get everything accomplished.  But I find that it has the opposite effect.  It keeps me on task and focused, which ends up giving me time to spare.  With that time, I can then do something relaxing or uplifting.

Once you have a mindset of how to simplify your life, you will come up with your own ideas.  Perhaps you even have some relationships that need to be simplified.  Pray about it and ask God for guidance in leading you to a productive, but simpler existence.

copyright@gwensimmons2010